1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an automatic washing machine, and more particularly to an automatic washing machine for sterilizing, bleaching and deodorizing laundry articles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been proposed an automatic washing machine using a bleaching agent for bleaching laundry articles such as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open Publication No. 63-8797. Referring to FIG. 1 showing the washing machine disclosed in the above Japanese patent, the washing machine comprises a main body supporter 102 arranged on the upper section of a washer main body 100. A suspension rod 104 is suspended from the supporter 102 by a slider 103 and provided at its lower end with a buffer tube 105. This buffer tube 105 includes a vibroisolating spring (not shown) such that it elastically suspends a tub 107 between a tub supporter 106 and the main body supporters 102. The washing machine further comprises a base plate 108 which is fixed to a bottom of the tub 107 and supports a clutch case 109. This clutch case 109 in turn engages at its upper section with the bottom of the tub 107 in such a manner that a watertight engagement of this clutch case 109 with the tub 107 is achieved. A drive motor 110 is mounted on the lower surface of the base plate 108 and includes a drive pulley 112 which is connected to a driven pulley 114 of a clutch shaft of the clutch case 109 by an endless belt 113 such that the rotational force of the drive motor 110 is transmitted to a clutch device of the clutch case 109 and in turn to a pulsator 118 rotatably connected to an output shaft of the clutch device at the bottom of a perforated washing and dehydrating basket 120.
The basket 120, used curtertly for washing and dehydrating the laundry articles, is provided at its circular upper end with a balance ring 122 changed with a detergent. The washing machine also comprises an upper panel which is integrally formed with a control panel 124 including a control switch and etc.. The upper panel t26 has an opening, through which the laundry articles to be washed and dried is thrown into the washing and drying basket 120 and which is covered with an openable lid 128.
In operation of the above washing machine, washing and rinsing of the laundry articles is followed by addition of a bleaching agent consisting of NaC10 and etc. into the tub 107 filled with washing water, so that the washed and rinsed laundry articles are bleached.
However, the above washing machine has a problem that the laundry articles treated by the bleaching agent should be sufficiently repeatedly rinsed to effect dechlorination, otherwise they are damaged by the bleaching agent and apt to be undesirably decolored.